Dust eliminator

ABSTRACT

An exemplary dust eliminator includes a housing which houses a bracket, a holder for holding components, an actuator and a blower. The holder is moveably supported on the bracket. The actuator is connected with the holder. The actuator is capable of moving relative to the bracket and actuating the holder to move on the bracket. The blower is fixed relative to the bracket and directs to the holder so as to blow the components on the holder.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to dust cleaning and, particularly, to a dust eliminator for cleaning components with air.

2. Description of Related Art

Many kinds of components, such as lenses, need to be cleaned before use or encapsulation. For example, lenses are crucial in many optical instruments, such as digital still cameras, digital video cameras (DVC), projectors, mobile phones, or monitors etc. However, matter, such as dust, particles etc. are likely to come into contact with the lenses and contaminate the surfaces of the lenses. Contamination of lenses is a most adverse factor for encapsulation of the lenses, and finally influences the attribute of the optical instruments. Thus, keeping the lenses clean before being encapsulated is especially important in making desirable optical instruments.

To remove the dust etc. from the lens surfaces, the lenses generally are cleaned manually by one of the following two ways. One way is that each lens is wiped by a worker using cotton swabs under a microscope. Another way is that each lens is held in a worker's hand and cleaned with an air gun. Either way is inconvenient and time-consuming. Furthermore, manual operation creates a risk of cross-contamination with subsequently handled lenses.

What is needed, therefore, is a dust eliminator that can clean a batch of components at the same time and avoid cross-contamination.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a present embodiment, a dust eliminator includes a housing, a holder for holding components, an actuator, and a blower. The holder is moveably supported on the bracket. The actuator is positioned in the housing and connected to the holder. The actuator is capable of moving relative to the bracket and actuating the holder to move on the bracket. The blower is fixed relative to the bracket and directed at the components on the holder.

Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description of at least one preferred embodiment, when considered in conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present dust eliminator can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present camera module. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a dust eliminator, according to a present embodiment;

FIG. 2 is isometric view of part of the dust eliminator of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, isometric view of a blower of the dust eliminator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded, isometric view of the blower and a components holder of the dust eliminator of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Embodiments of the present dust eliminator will now be described in detail below and with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a dust eliminator 100 according to a present embodiment comprises a housing 10, which houses a bracket 20, a holder 30, an actuator 40, and a blower 50. The bracket 20 is secured in the housing 10. The holder 30 for holding components to be cleaned, for example lenses 70, is moveably supported on the bracket 20. The actuator 40 is positioned on the bracket 20 and connected to the holder 30. The actuator 40 is capable of moving relative to the bracket 20 so as to actuate the holder 30 to move on the bracket 20. The blower 50 is secured to the bracket 20, and is directed at the holder 30 so as to blow air at the lenses 70 on the holder 30.

The housing 10 comprises a base 102, a cover 104, and sidewalls 106 between the base 102 and the cover 104. A through hole 1022 is defined in the base 102 and a through hole 1042 is defined in the cover 104. The through holes 1022, 1042 are respectively connected with ventilating pipes (not shown) for allowing air to pass through the housing 10. In the preferred embodiment, the through holes 1022, 1042 are coaxially aligned. One sidewall 106 is capable of being opened, for moving the lenses 70 into or out of the housing 10. The housing 10 may be made of translucent antistatic glass.

The bracket 20 is secured to the base 102. In the preferred embodiment, the bracket 20 comprises a support member securely standing on the base 102, a guiding member supported on the support member and a sliding member slidably mounted on the guiding member. The support member comprises four posts 22 and the guiding member comprises two rails 24. The rails 24 are supported respectively by two of the posts 22, and are parallel to each other. Each rail 24 has two sliding blocks 26 slidably spanning thereon, for assisting the holder 30 to slide on the rail 24. The sliding blocks 26 function as the sliding member. In other embodiments, the guiding member can be grooves, allowing sliding blocks 26 to be slidably received therein. It is feasible that the support member can be omitted, and the guiding member is directly supported on the base 102 of the house 10.

The holder 30 comprises a tray 32 for holding the lenses 70 thereon and a mount 34 whereon the tray 32 is rested. The mount 34 is secured to the sliding member. The mount 34 defines an orifice 3442 for allowing the mount 34 to be connected to the actuator 40, so that the holder 30 can move relative to the guiding member along with the slide of the sliding member under a force of the actuator 40. In the preferred embodiment, the mount 34 comprises two slats 342 secured to the sliding blocks 26 and a beam 344 connecting the slats 342 to each other. The orifice 3442 is defined in the beam 344. The tray 32 is rested on the slats 342. The tray 32 forms plural sets of tabs 322 thereon and in the preferred embodiment each set of tabs 322 cooperate to enclose a lens 70 thereamong. Slots 324 are defined in the tray 32 for allowing airflow from the blower 50 to the lenses 70. Each slot 324 corresponds to one set of tabs 322. In the preferred embodiment, the slots 324 are spaced and arranged in several lines.

The holder 30 can additionally comprise a louver 39 which covers the lenses 70, for preventing the lenses 70 from escaping from the tray 32 when the lenses 70 are subjected to airflow. The louver 39 defines slits 392 therein, corresponding to the lines of the slots 324 in the tray 32 for ventilation.

The actuator 40 in the present embodiment is a piston of an air cylinder (not shown), which is positioned at a side of the bracket 20 and moveable back and forth in a direction parallel to the guiding member of the bracket 20. A distal end of the actuator 40 is provided with a connector 42, which is engaged in the orifice 3442 of the mount 34 so as to connect the mount 34 to the actuator 40. The movement of the actuator 40 drives the mount 34, which is secured to the sliding member, so that the mount 34, the tray 32, the lenses 70 on the mount 34, move along with the actuator 40, relative to the bracket 20. In practice, the actuator 40 can be positioned to the base 102, cover 104 or sidewalls 106 of the housing 10, so long as it can move relative to the bracket 20 and drive the mount 34 of the holder 30 to move the holder 30 on the guiding member of the bracket 20 back and forth.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, the blower 50 is secured between the rails 24 of the bracket 20 in the preferred embodiment, and comprises a tank 52 and a plate 54 covering the tank 52. The tank 52 defines a chamber 56 therein and a line of spaced nozzles 58. The nozzles 58 are communicated with interior and exterior of the tank 52, and face the tray 32. The lines of slots 324 in the tray 32, by turns, align with the nozzles 58 when the holder 30 moves on the bracket 20, so that the lenses 70 are alternately blown by the air from the nozzles 58. The plate 54 overlays the chamber 56 of the tank 52, and defines two apertures 524 therein. The apertures 524 communicate with the tank 52 and an air supply (not shown). In the preferred embodiment, the plate 54 faces the nozzles 58. Feasibly, the blower 50 can be secured at a certain position in the housing 10, for example, the blower 50 is secured at the base 102 of the housing 10, so long as it can blow toward the tray 32 to clean the lenses 70.

In using the dust eliminator of the preferred embodiment, the lenses 70 are held on the tray 32, respectively among the sets of tabs 322. The tray 32 is rested on the slats 342 of the mount 34. Then the actuator 40 urges the mount 34 to move so that the sliding blocks 26 secured to the mount 34 slide on the rails 24 of the bracket 20 back and forth. Simultaneously, the mount 34 and the tray 32 having the lenses 70 held thereon move along with the sliding blocks 26, so that the lines of slots 324, by turns, align with the nozzles 58. The air from the air supply (not shown) enters the chamber 56 via the apertures 524 and is then blown to the tray 32 via the nozzles 58. After reaching the tray 32, the air passes through the slots 324 and cleans the lenses 70, then flows out along with dust or particles via the slits 392 of the louver 39. The tray 32 and the mount 34 move relative to the bracket 20 back and forth, until the lenses 70 on the tray 32 are clean. The blower 50 blows air at the tray 32, until the lenses 70 on the tray 32 are clean.

It is understood that the actuator 40 and the blower 50 can be regulated by a controller which is not shown and may be any conventional controller or its equivalents.

It will be understood that the above particular embodiments and methods are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and features of the present invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the invention but do not restrict the scope of the invention. 

1. A dust eliminator for cleaning components, comprising: a housing; a bracket secured in the housing; a holder for holding the components, the holder moveably supported on the bracket; an actuator positioned in the housing and connected with the holder, the actuator being configured for moving relative to the bracket and actuating the holder to move on the bracket; and a blower fixed relative to the bracket and directed at the holder so as to blow air toward the components on the holder.
 2. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a base, a cover, and sidewalls between the base and the cover, and wherein the bracket is secured to the base of the housing.
 3. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises a guiding member and a sliding member, and wherein the sliding member is secured to the holder and is slidable on the guiding member.
 4. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bracket further comprises a support member standing in the housing.
 5. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the guiding member comprises two parallel rails supported by the support member.
 6. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sliding member comprises four sliding blocks and wherein each of the rails has two sliding blocks mounted thereon.
 7. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the holder comprises a mount and a tray mounted on the mount for holding the components.
 8. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mount comprises two slats secured to the sliding member and a beam secured to the actuator, and wherein the tray is supported on the slats.
 9. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tray defines a plurality of slots for providing access to airflow from the blower to the components on the tray.
 10. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tray forms plural sets of tabs, and wherein each set of tabs cooperate to enclose one of the components.
 11. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the holder further comprises a louver covering the components held on the tray, for preventing the components from escaping from the tray, and wherein the louver defines slits therein for ventilation.
 12. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the blower is secured to the guiding member and comprises a tank and a plate covering the tank.
 13. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tank defines a chamber therein and a line of spaced nozzles, and wherein the nozzles are communicated with interior and exterior of the tank and face the tray.
 14. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the plate overlays the chamber of the tank, and defines two apertures therein communicating with the tank and an air supply.
 15. A dust eliminator, comprising: a bracket; a holder for holding components, being moveable on the bracket; an actuator positioned onto the bracket and connected with the holder, the actuator positioned onto the bracket and connected with the holder to actuate the holder to move on the bracket; and a blower secured to the bracket and directing to the holder so as to blow the components on the holder.
 16. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 16, wherein the actuator is a piston of an air cylinder.
 17. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the actuator has a free distal end connected with the holder so that the actuator can actuate the holder to move.
 18. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bracket comprises two parallel rails and each of the rails has two sliding blocks spanning thereon, and wherein the holder is secured to the sliding blocks.
 19. The dust eliminator as claimed in claim 19, wherein the holder comprises a mount secured to the sliding blocks and the actuator respectively, a tray mounted on the mount for holding the components and a louver covering the components on the tray, and wherein the tray defines a plurality of slots therein for air of accessing the components to pass through.
 20. An apparatus for cleaning components, comprising: a housing; a pair of guide rails arranged in the housing; an air blower having a plurality of aligned nozzles facing upward for blowing air toward the components; a tray slidably mounted on the guide rails and located above the air blower, the tray comprising an array of through holes and a plurality of retaining members, the through holes being arranged in columns and rows in a manner such that the through holes in each of the rows can be vertically aligned with the respective nozzles of the blower; and an actuator configured for driving the tray to slide on the guide rails. 